Chapter 2 #5
My hand motioned in an awkward wave to them both.
Lavender suddenly appeared, pushing past both of them with a red cup in her hand.
She handed it to Sybil without a word and watched as she held it out to me.
“Here. Drink up.” I reached out and took the plastic cup while they all watched me take a sip.
I instantly coughed, grossed out by the nasty taste. “Oh, what the fuck is this?” I asked, eyeing the strange liquid inside.
Sybil smiled. “It’s a little mixed drink we all made just for you.” Her nail booped my nose. “Now come on, it’s time to play.” I bit my lower lip feeling anxious. “Trust me, Crissa. You won’t want to miss this.”
The woman gripped my wrist and tugged me down towards the large group that had gathered in the center of the basement.
Almost all the partygoers, including my old friend group, had plopped down to play the game.
Ryder stood in the middle of the circle with the bottle in his hand, explaining the rules as if none of us had ever played the game before.
I looked around the circle while he spoke.
Token was a few people over to my right with a spot next to him for his brother.
Lavender was over on my left and Montey and Sybil were glued together directly across from me.
They were both looking in my direction as if studying me.
Fuck.
I lowered my eyes and took another sip of the shitty drink, still unsure of what the hell it even was.
“Alright! I’ll go first since it is my bottle.
” Ryder grinned. He placed the glass bottle down and spun it before hopping over to his spot in the circle.
Everyone watched with loud anticipation as the bottle began to slow, eventually stopping with the neck pointing directly at Lavender.
Ryder’s grin immediately dropped, same as hers, and they both just stared at each other. “Oh hell no.”
He reached out to respin, but Token stopped him. “Rules are rules, brother.” His smile was way too big. “No respins.” Token winked and Ryder groaned as he rolled his eyes.
“I’m not going into that fucking closet with her,” Ryder snapped. “Nah, I’m spinning again.”
Lavender made a face and crossed her arms. “Oh, and why’s that?” His eyes raised to hers while the rest of us watched. “Because being stuck in a small closet with you for seven minutes isn’t exactly ideal for me either.”
Ryder grimaced at her words. “Whatever. I’m spinning again.” As he reached for the bottle Lavender did the same, snatching it first. The two sat there on their knees, inches apart as they glared at one another. “Give me the bottle,” he growled.
Lavender’s eyes didn’t falter. “I bet you want to respin so bad ‘cause you know if we walked into that closet, I would make you jizz yourself so fucking hard you’d walk out crying in less than three minutes.” The entire basement ruptured in a dramatic reaction at her threat.
Ryder just stared at Lavender while she grinned and cocked her head, releasing the bottle. “Go on, big boy. Respin.”
Ryder’s face burned. “Fuck this.” Only, instead of grabbing the bottle, he grabbed Lavender’s face and kissed her. Everyone hooted and cheered him on as they began to make out right there in the middle of the damn basement.
I sat on the basement floor, baffled by what was happening before me. Everyone’s loud shouts and hollers made my head ache, so I took another sip of my drink. The alcohol or whatever it was must’ve been strong, because I began to feel lighter. And it made me giggle while taking another sip.
You know, whatever this is, it doesn’t taste as bad as it did before. I guess it just grows on you.
My anxiety and nervousness were slowly dripping away the more I drank, and I felt myself losing more and more of my control.
“Alright, break it up. Break it up you two, before this becomes a live action porno!” Montey ripped Lavender and Ryder apart.
The two wiped their mouths as the others booed at Montey for ruining their show.
“Fuck off you drunk perverts!” Everyone laughed him off.
He laughed and joked with a few of the guys I didn’t recognize while tying his long blue and purple hair atop his head.
A few stray strands fell down the side of his face as he reached forward to grab the bottle, but Sybil stopped him.
“Babe,” she cooed. “Why don’t we let sweet little Crissa go next?” Their gazes landed on me as the circle fell silent.
The weight of everyone’s attention fell on my shoulders. My cheeks burned and I clutched the red plastic cup tightly, trying not to shake. “N-no I’m good. I’m more or less just watching.”
Ryder snickered at my words and uttered something under his breath.
A couple random people in the circle scoffed and booed at me, but Montey hushed them all.
He smiled at me and I felt remnants of those old emotions bloom within the pit of my stomach.
“Rules are rules, and you're up, squish.” He winked and I nearly buckled in response to it.
You can do this, Crissa. Just spin the bottle and get it over with.
I took another sip of my drink for some liquid courage and attempted to hand the cup off to the guy next to me when Sybil spoke up.
“Oh, I’ll take that.” She leaned across, carefully grabbing the red cup.
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep it nice and safe.
” Her large smile would’ve made me feel uneasy, but I was more nervous of spinning than whatever she had brewing.
“Okay.” I took a deep breath and reached for the bottle, spinning it. Everyone held their breaths as it spun, probably waiting to see what unlucky bastard would get stuck with me.
Please don’t be Montey…please don’t be Montey…please.
The bottle spun, and spun, and spun. I felt dizzy watching it go around and around, feeling as if it would never stop spinning.
Please don’t be Montey.
But then, it finally stopped. And my eyes rose to meet his.
Fuck.
The circle once again reacted loudly as Montey stared back at me. I felt sick, unsure of how the hell to even react.
“I-I’ll spin again.”
I reached for the bottle when Sybil stopped me. “No respins, Crissa.”
My eyes locked with hers, confused. “I’m not going in the closet with your boyfriend, Sybil.” I looked back at Montey, but his eyes refused to meet mine.
“Oh it’s totally fine, right, Montey?” She elbowed him in the side and he nodded.
“See? Now, come on!” Sybil grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.
She dragged me across the basement to the small closet located beneath the basement stairs.
The same one Montey and I once used for our secret hook ups.
“Sybil, I’m not—”
Her hands squeezed my arms tight. “Stop. It’s fine, okay?
” She offered me her usual smile. “Besides, I’m not dumb, Crissa.
I know you still have feelings for Montey.
” My face burned as I tried to hide my embarrassment.
Sybil laughed so innocently. “Relax. Between you and me...” She leaned in real close, the smell of her floral perfume wrapped around my nostrils while she whispered into my ear.
“I think he still has feelings for you too.” My entire body seized up.
Montey? No…no way. There’s no way he still had feelings for me…right?
“Now—” She untied her red bandana and offered it to me. “I know you’re nervous, but use this.”
I stared down at it, perplexed. “For what?”
Sybil laughed and raised the bandana up and over my eyes. “Trust me, we’re friends. Right?” I felt too dizzy to respond. She stepped behind me and tied the material tightly over my eyes, blocking my vision completely. “Now, you wait here.” She guided me into the small closet. “And I’ll go get him.”
“Wait.” I reached out, feeling the door as I stopped her. “Are–are you sure you’re okay with this?” My head pulsated and I felt really fucking dizzy.
Sybil gently pushed me further into the closet. “Oh, I’m sure. And I really hope you enjoy yourself.” She slammed the closet door shut, leaving me there to wait all alone, blindfolded.
What is even happening right now?
My head spun and I began to really feel off.
Get a grip, Crissa. It’s just your nerves.
I tried to ground myself, but felt more like I was slipping through reality. I didn’t know if it was the idea of spending seven minutes with someone else’s boyfriend, or being alone with Montey after so long, but something just felt wrong about this whole situation.
My body spun as I tried to feel around the closet for the door handle.
Where is it?
I stumbled a bit before I heard the closet open behind me.
“Montey?” I turned around, still unable to see.
“Is that you?” The door shut. I reached out and my palms landed against something hard.
It took me a second to realize what I was touching was a chest. A man’s chest. “It is you.” His hands touched mine and I felt a spark.
“Listen…” It was hard to speak with how rapidly my heart was beating. “I think…I think we need to just—”
Montey’s body pressed into mine and his breath faintly hit my ear.
I nearly buckled at how close we were. And before I could form a single word, my hands slithered under his shirt.
“I’ve always loved the way your skin feels against mine.
” He pulled my body roughly into his and slammed me into the back of the closet, all while kissing my neck.
I completely melted into his touch, letting him guide me as we lost ourselves in one another.
I shouldn’t be doing this…but I can’t stop.